Cattleya breeding

[Dorsetman]

A friend of mine, a retired professional who grew plants that got RHS and AOS (etc) awards in over ten different genera, and who is certainly the best genetics guy I have ever known, once told me that the seed parent affects the size and shape, and the pollen parent the colour - or have I got that the wrong way round ?
Another, now alas, late friend, who made over 2500 crosses in his orchid breeding life - as a hobby, when he was a genetic scientist paid for pig breeding (!) told me that most of the rules in orchids are our guesswork, and not rules at all. He specialised in using hybridisation to discover genetic alliances before "we" meaning guys at Kew etc., started using dna for the same purpose ,and won a lot of praises when he made the first hybrids combing six or more different genera - personally, whilst not wishing to belittle his achievements, I always thought that just meant that what we thought were spearate genera were in fact the same one.

---------- Post Merged at 02:52 PM ----------

I have a Cattleya araguaiensis that was gifted to Mario Ferrusi from Alan Koch. The Shinfong Little Sun flowers are still fresh looking although I did take Kirk's advice and pollinate both ways. I'll have to try that if I can get the Dendrobiums to flower at the same time. Can't hurt!

You don't need them in flower together . Just store the pollinia of the first to flower in a little test-tube in a 'fridge. at 5˚ C it will keep for at least 6 months - I am told.

[Chris in Hamilton]

A friend of mine, a retired professional who grew plants that got RHS and AOS (etc) awards in over ten different genera, and who is certainly the best genetics guy I have ever known, once told me that the seed parent affects the size and shape, and the pollen parent the colour - or have I got that the wrong way round ?
Another, now alas, late friend, who made over 2500 crosses in his orchid breeding life - as a hobby, when he was a genetic scientist paid for pig breeding (!) told me that most of the rules in orchids are our guesswork, and not rules at all. He specialised in using hybridisation to discover genetic alliances before "we" meaning guys at Kew etc., started using dna for the same purpose ,and won a lot of praises when he made the first hybrids combing six or more different genera - personally, whilst not wishing to belittle his achievements, I always thought that just meant that what we thought were spearate genera were in fact the same one.

---------- Post Merged at 02:52 PM ----------



You don't need them in flower together . Just store the pollinia of the first to flower in a little test-tube in a 'fridge. at 5˚ C it will keep for at least 6 months - I am told.

I am hoping for the other way round but I'd be happy with success either way. I will keep that in mind when trying the Den. though. I'm now sure that both will be in flower at the same time but if not I'll have to beg, borrow or steal a small blood tube from my doctor's office. Thanks Geoff!

[Azizan]

A friend of mine, a retired professional who grew plants that got RHS and AOS (etc) awards in over ten different genera, and who is certainly the best genetics guy I have ever known, once told me that the seed parent affects the size and shape, and the pollen parent the colour - or have I got that the wrong way round ?
Another, now alas, late friend, who made over 2500 crosses in his orchid breeding life - as a hobby, when he was a genetic scientist paid for pig breeding (!) told me that most of the rules in orchids are our guesswork, and not rules at all. He specialised in using hybridisation to discover genetic alliances before "we" meaning guys at Kew etc., started using dna for the same purpose ,and won a lot of praises when he made the first hybrids combing six or more different genera - personally, whilst not wishing to belittle his achievements, I always thought that just meant that what we thought were spearate genera were in fact the same one.

---------- Post Merged at 02:52 PM ----------



You don't need them in flower together . Just store the pollinia of the first to flower in a little test-tube in a 'fridge. at 5˚ C it will keep for at least 6 months - I am told.

What is "the first hybrids combing six or more different genera"? I really need to know that.